Giannis Antetokounmpo was supposed to change the conversation in Miami. Four losses into his Heat career, Charles Barkley is questioning how much room he’s leaving for everybody else.
“I think he’s difficult to play with,” Barkley said, via Amir Motameni of Heat On SI. “We had them the first night, he gets the ball and he’s going 1 on 5 every time. There’s no ball movement, body movement. Bam is just standing out there.”
That last part is the problem Miami needs to solve. Bam Adebayo is supposed to be a major reason this partnership works. If he’s watching Antetokounmpo attack a crowded paint, the Heat aren’t getting nearly enough from either player’s presence.
“He’s a great player but he’d be very difficult to play with,” Barkley added.
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Zach Lowe raised a similar concern about where Adebayo is finding his opportunities.
“I don’t think you want Bam at the 3PT arc as much as he has been,” Lowe said. “I’m mildly worried about the Heat.”
Four games won’t settle whether the pairing can work. They have shown that putting two accomplished big men together doesn’t automatically create an offense.
Miami entered Wednesday ranked 27th in offensive rating and 24th defensively. The latter is particularly disappointing for a roster with Antetokounmpo, Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell.
Erik Spoelstra has adjustments to make. Getting Adebayo involved while keeping Giannis dangerous would be a useful place to begin.
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